At the start of the year, I decided my word for 2020 would be “transition.” I had no idea how apt that would be.
I began the year by moving to a four-day week at my day job, to make more time for writing and to allow me to work towards freelance creative practitioner and teaching roles. But before I really got going, COVID-19 hit and lockdown began. I spent the first few months adjusting to working at home with most of my team on furlough.
Then we got to June and I was furloughed too. I tried to make the most of the time, working on my new book, mentoring emerging writers and picking up freelance work. It turns out that was a good move, as I’m now about to be made redundant.
I’m not relaying this story for sympathy, but just to emphasise the shifting nature of 2020. In a roundabout way, I’ve achieved my goal: I wanted to build up more freelance work and focus on my writing, with the goal of leaving my day job. And here I am. It’s not happening in the way I intended, or with any of my financial plans in place, but it certainly has been a year of transition.
I’ve always battled with anxiety and the last couple of months have been especially tough. I can’t help but be scared about what the future holds. But I’m trying to look on my life with a positive eye: I don’t know what will happen, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Sure, the middle of a pandemic and the worst global recession on record is not a good time to be without a stable income, but maybe it is a good time to be brave and innovate and live the life I’ve always wanted but never felt I deserved.
I’m sure this year has brought many unexpected changes for you too, so many you’ve probably lost track of them all. But what I really wanted to say was, whatever you’re worried about right now, you’re not alone. So many people are struggling with huge life issues, from jobs to births to illness and death. Opportunities have been lost and others have taken their place. Lives have changed, people have changed and we’ve all had time to think about the world and the way we exist in it, and maybe think about how we can change that for the better.
If you follow me on Twitter, you might have seen me raging about the Government’s recent drive to get workers back to their offices. Now is the perfect time for us to reassess our lives and think about the positives we may have discovered over the last few months. More than anything, I want to hold onto the good parts of this year and shape my life in a way that is best for me and my wellbeing. I’m tired of living life the way society dictates, I want to focus on health and happiness, even if that means I have a bit less money to spend.
Whatever you’re dreaming of right now, I hope you’ll have the chance to make the changes you want in life.
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deltoid says
Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.